


Kiss Your Fist and Touch the Sky

by xlightless



Category: B.A.P
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Space, Eventual Romance, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2018-11-20 02:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11326815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xlightless/pseuds/xlightless
Summary: Jongup is the businessman getting tired of silent, unquestioning obedience. Youngjae is the mechanical engineer who holds a very deep-seated grudge behind a smile. Daehyun is the ghost of a bounty hunter who finds himself stuck in the circuits of Jongup’s cybernetics. Companionship isn’t exactly what they want from each other, but it’s what they need to get to a Pandora Lock.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Or a space western(???) au inspired by Tales from the Borderlands.
> 
> Crossposted on AFF.

Jongup’s story starts on Omicron, one of GAIA Imports’s lunar bases orbiting the planet Eucleia. He walks down the corridor, the sound of his steps echoing against the metal walls. He stops at the large metal door at the end of the corridor. Taking a deep breath, he adjusts his shirt collar and straightens his jacket. He has no idea why the head CEO, Kim Jaesung himself, wants to talk to him, but he hopes it’s for a promotion.

The massive door opens automatically and Jongup steps through. Jaesung stands at the window that spans from the ceiling to the floor, staring out into the void of space. He turns, and Jongup sees an earpiece in his ear. He points to the seat across from his desk.

Jongup walks across the room to sit in front of the Jaesung’s desk. He folds his hands in his lap, waiting for the Jaesung to say something. His stomach churns.

“I’ll get you your twenty million, just give me a couple more days to get everything ready. This takes time, alright? Be patient.”

Jongup tilts his head because twenty million crystals is a lot of money, and this doesn’t sound like an official business transaction.

“Look, I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.“ Jaesung hangs up and sighs. He turns around to face Jongup and smiles.

“How are you, Jongup?” Jaesung asks.

 _Considering I work for this piece of shit company, I’ve been better_ , Jongup thinks at the same time he says, “Fine, sir, and you?”

“I’ve been busy, but I have good news for you,” Jaesung says. He sits at the corner of his desk, looking down at Jongup with a smile he can only think of as slimy. “I’m transferring you.”

Jongup blinks. Is he really getting promoted? He knows better than to trust Jaesung and his smile says anything but promotion, but maybe Zeus is smiling down on him today.

“To Upsilon.”

But Zeus isn’t real, and Jaesung is an asshole. Upsilon is the farthest lunar base from Eucleia, nicknamed Tartarus for the deep abyss the base is located in. Jongup stares at the ground in shock. Why would Jaesung move him to Upsilon? Of all the lunar bases, he’s getting transferred to Upsilon?

“A shuttle will come to pick you up tomorrow morning at eight,” Jaesung says.

“Sir, I don’t mean to… To, uh, sound ungrateful, but why am I being transferred to Upsilon?” Jongup asks. He hates how his voice shakes, but he has to know. He feels like he’s being punished, but he doesn’t even know what he did wrong.

Jaesung sighs and stands up to slowly pace the length of the room, his hands folded behind his back. “Jongup, you’re a valuable asset to my company, but your untapped potential lies in Upsilon as a factory department manager.”

No matter how Jaesung says it, this still feels like the opposite of a promotion, but Jongup knows better to just accept what’s given to him than to fight it. As much as he hates this, he hates confronting his boss more. “Thank you, sir, I’m glad you feel that way.”

Jaesung faces the window again. Jongup sees a smile in Jaesung’s reflection. “You’re dismissed.”

Jongup runs on autopilot after that. He walks out of Jaesung’s office, still in shock that he’s moving to Upsilon. He walks through the maze of halls to the dorm compounds and stops at his door. Everything doesn’t fully sink in until he opens his door and looks into his small dorm room. The doors slide behind him, and he sinks to the floor.

Jongup worked his way up GAIA Imports with his bare hands. He landed himself a secure spot as a communications manager in the best lunar base the company has to offer, only to be uprooted and discarded like a piece of trash. He’s never been more humiliated in his life.

//

Jongup has been in Upsilon for a total of five minutes and he already hates it. The fluorescent lighting that flickers every other minute is probably the one thing he hates the most so far. He walks behind a very soft-spoken woman who uttered her name so quickly he wasn’t able to catch it. He couldn’t even ask her to repeat it because she was already shuffling down the hall.

They have to pass by the factory floor to get to the dorm compound, and Upsilon certainly lives up to its nickname Tartarus. There are fifteen floors of factory production with an open middle space full of levers and pulleys to transport products between the different floors. Jongup peers over the railing into the abyss of factory production, and he gets dizzy just from the sheer height and moving parts. The scent of oil and sweat floods his nose, and that doesn’t help with his increasing nausea.

“Fresh meat!” someone yells a couple feet from Jongup’s ear. It cuts through the loud buzz of power tools and working machinery.

A chorus of _fresh meat!_ and howls of laughter echo throughout the factory floor, the workers chanting the phrase until it reaches a crescendo. At the sound of a foreman’s whistle, the chanting quickly dies down.

The woman leading Jongup through continues shuffling until they’re out and in another hallway. His ears are still ringing.

“I’m sorry about that. They’re usually more well-behaved,” she says. She turns to Jongup with an apologetic smile. “You’re probably not used to seeing the process, right? Being from Omicron and all that.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jongup asks. He doesn’t mean for it to come out sounding so confrontational.

The woman squeaks and stops. “I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to offend. I just meant that you’re… You’re, um…”

“An Omicron prick, right?” Jongup says with a dry laugh. It’s not the first time someone called him that. He’s learned to ignore it all, but it still stings.

She shakes her head again. She looks down at her feet, then behind her, before looking back at him. She lowers her voice even more than it already was when she speaks again. “No, it’s just… You’re not the first one from Omicron to be transferred here.”

Jongup frowns. “Wait, what? How many people have been transferred here? Why were they all sent here?”

Her eyes widen in fear, and she takes a step back. “U-um… I––“

Jongup didn’t even realize he was leaning over her. He steps back and clears his throat. “Sorry. Do you know how long Jaesung has been sending Omicron employees here? Why do you think he’s doing it?”

She looks down again, takes a deep breath, turns around and begins walking again. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. The dorms are just around this corner.”

Jongup doesn’t press the matter, but his mind still reels. Omicron is a huge base. He had no idea he was just one of a hundred––a thousand?––other sorry employees to be transferred to Upsilon. He follows her to his dorm, which––he realizes far later than he should have––is the dorm he’ll probably live in for the rest of his life.

“This is your assigned dorm,” she says, stopping at a door.

Jongup stares at the dirt marks and dents on the metal door. The fluorescent light on the ceiling blinks. He feels like he’s being mocked. He turns to her with a smile. “Thank you for all the help.”

She nods. “I’ll leave you to get unpacked. If you need anything, I’m in room 481.”

“Thanks,” Jongup says.

She shuffles down the hall and enters a door further down, probably her own dorm. He stares at his door again and sighs.

“You do know the door isn’t automatic, right? It operates manually.”

Jongup turns around and sees a young man standing in the doorway across from him. His brown eyes glimmer with curiosity and amusement. Jongup doesn’t know what kind of face he’s making right now, but it doesn’t seem to deter the guy. “Excuse me?”

“You gotta push it to open it,” he replies.

Turns out it’s not the flickering lights mocking him, it’s his neighbors. Jongup sighs. He doesn’t need this. “I know how to push a door, thanks.”

The guy pushes off his doorframe and holds his hand out to Jongup. “Chill, I’m just fuckin’ with ya. I’m Yoo Youngjae. Nice to meet you.”

Jongup shakes Youngjae’s outstretched hand. “Moon Jongup.”

Youngjae purses his lips, sweeping his eyes up and down Jongup like he’s scanning him. “Omicron?”

“Yeah, how’d you––“

“There’s this…attitude you Omicrons have. Real uptight and condescending.” Youngjae laughs before Jongup can get another word in. “Just kidding, the base’s logo is on your jacket. What’d you do to get sent to this shithole anyway?”

Jongup doesn’t immediately reply because he isn’t even sure what he did wrong. He’s still questioning why Jaesung personally sent him, of all people, down here. “I don’t… I’m not really sure, honestly.”

“Oh boy, you’re one of those, huh? That’s rough, buddy, I’m sorry.”

Jongup raises an eyebrow. “I don’t need the sympathy, but thanks, I guess. So why are you here?”

“Jaesung didn’t appreciate the little gift I left for him on Omicron. Was this little, uh…” Youngjae snickers. “It was a dick that pumped out oil. Left it right on his desk, covered everything in oil. God, it was so good.”

Jongup raises his eyebrows. He heard that story, but he thought it was just a rumor. A little prank like that would have gotten Youngjae shot straight into space. He must be incredibly good at his job to even be alive.

“Got me sent straight here, but I couldn’t stand Omicron anyway, so I guess this isn’t so bad.” Youngjae shrugs, but he has the smuggest grin on his face.

“So… You mean you actually like it here?”

Youngjae laughs, but Jongup catches a derisive edge in it. “Oh fuck no, I fucking hate it here, but you gotta make do with the cards you’re dealt, right? I mean, it’s not the best, but it’s still a living.”

“But is it really living, though?” Jongup mutters.

He turns around and pushes his door open, hoping Youngjae will catch on that their conversation is over, but Youngjae follows him inside. He sits on the chair by the empty desk. Jongup stares in amazement for a moment before closing the door and setting his suitcase on his bed to unpack.

“You seem to hate Jaesung just as much as me, so I’m gonna let you in on a little secret,” Youngjae says, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap.

Jongup just wants to be alone so he can unpack, but he can probably humor Youngjae for a couple more minutes. “Sure.”

Youngjae leans forward and whispers, “I know how to take Jaesung down.”

As much as Jongup would like that, Jaesung is untouchable. Taking him down is something easier said than done. He’s curious about whatever Youngjae has planned, though. “Yeah? How?”

“I have a source at Omicron who told me that Jaesung is buying a Key soon for––“

“Twenty million crystals,” Jongup finishes with wide eyes. That’s what Jaesung was talking about yesterday.

Youngjae nods with a smile. “Yeah, how’d you find that out?”

“I just overheard one of his conversations,” Jongup replies.

“And you know what a Key opens, right?” Youngjae asks, his eyes getting wider with excitement.

Jongup sighs and rolls his eyes. “A Pandora Lock.”

Youngjae snaps his fingers and finger-guns Jongup. “Exactly! We get the Key, we open the Pandora Lock, and we become the richest men on this side of the galaxy. What better way to spite him?”

It’s a plan, but it’s only an outline of an already ridiculous plan.

Jongup shakes his head. “Two things. That’s insanely dangerous, and all the Pandora Locks have probably been discovered already.”

“No, no, no, that’s where you’re wrong. Eucleia is littered with Pandora Locks. It’s just a matter of finding the Keys. Dangerous, sure, depending on how you look at it, but there’s gotta be one that no one’s found yet.”

Jongup pushes off his bed and opens his door. “Alright, thanks for the information, Youngjae. I should unpack. I’ll see you later.”

Youngjae shrugs and gets up. Before he goes back into his dorm, he spins around and points a finger at Jongup’s chest. “Consider it. We only have a couple days.”

“I probably won’t,” Jongup says before closing the door.

“You should!” Youngjae exclaims.

Jongup sighs and sits in the same chair Youngjae had been in earlier. Barely an hour at Upsilon and he’s already being recruited into some stranger’s plan that’s doomed to fail. He misses the cushy life he had back in Omicron. He takes a deep breath, rubs his face with the heel of his palms, and begins unpacking.

He turns to his wardrobe and sees a lone Upsilon jacket hanging from the handle. He shrugs off his Omicron jacket and into his new Upsilon jacket. He tries to ignore the foul taste in his mouth and the heavy weight at the bottom of his stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

Later that evening, Youngjae knocks on Jongup’s door.

“Oh my god, what now?” Jongup groans before opening the door. He forces a smile when he sees Youngjae. “Hey.”

“Dinner? The cafeteria closes in an hour,” Youngjae says, pointing a thumb to the right, probably in the direction of the cafeteria.

Jongup kinda doesn’t want to, but he is hungry. “Sure.”

Youngjae grins. “Sweet, let’s go.”

They walk down the hall, the lights still fluorescent and flickering.

“What made you wanna work here?” Youngjae asks. He quickly adds, “Not _here_ here, but like… GAIA in general.”

Jongup realizes that Youngjae is the type of person to talk just to fill the silence. It’s honestly a refreshing change from the near isolation he experienced on Omicron.

“It’s safer. I got tired of living everyday like I was fighting for my survival. Sure, this is really shitty, but at least I don’t have to question if this is my last day to live.”

Youngjae whistles. “Wow, boring corporate businessman’s got an edgy past. Tell me _more_.”

Jongup frowns. The hall seems to stretch on forever like some cliched nightmare. For a brief second, his mind flickers back to mutated feral animals and scavenging for food. “Sorry, I’d rather not.”

“It’s all good. No point in forcin’ ya. Oh, turn left here.” Youngjae nods to take a left down an adjacent hall. “I started working for this shit company because my family owes Jaesung this _massive_ debt. Had it even before my grandfather was born. Apparently Jaesung’s family saved mine when Earth was gonna go. I wouldn’t be surprised if they sold off any of their daughters to Jaesung’s family down the line, too. It just feels like a slave contract now, if you ask me.”

Jongup hums. Seems like Jaesung’s revered company is even shittier than most already think.

The cafeteria is massive. Both factory and office workers sit at the long folding tables laid out, but Jongup notices the stark division between them. It’s like two different social castes refusing to be seen with one another.

Youngjae taps Jongup’s shoulder. “This way.”

They get in line with a number of other employees, and Youngjae hands Jongup a tray. They shuffle along, waiting to get their meals served to them like prisoners. Jongup sighs and realizes there isn’t much difference between prisoners and this.

The man who serves their food smiles as he drops a ladleful of violet and red space mush, trademarked by GAIA Imports themselves. Jongup picks up a freeze dried packet of fruit sitting in a bin at the end of the food station.

“How do you stand the freeze dried shit?” Youngjae asks as he picks up a bowl of soup. He grabs one more and puts it on Jongup’s tray. “This is the only decent food they got, trust me.”

Jongup stares at the murky soup and grimaces when he sees something that doesn’t look edible float to the surface. “Are you sure?”

“I said decent, not Omicron-grade. Omicron fuckin’ spoiled ya, dude, get used to it,” Youngjae replies as he scans the room for seats. He nods to the right. “Come on, follow me.”

Jongup sighs and follows Youngjae because he already agreed to eat with him, what’s the point in leaving him now? They grab the corner of a table by the exit and settle in. Jongup picks up his spoon and pokes the space mush. It has a texture like mashed potatoes. When he brings up a bit to taste, he tries to fight the instinctual disgust that flares up in the bottom of his stomach. It’s not horrible, but it’s not something he can keep eating.

"Most will say it's an acquired taste." Youngjae snickers and slurps the soup. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you. What’s up with the port in your head? It doesn’t look like GAIA tech.”

"I had it before I started working here. Got it on Eucleia." Jongup's fingers go up to brush the warm circulat port in his left temple. He notices the way Youngjae's eyes light up with curiosity.

As a teenager, he always fought with other kids, all of them bigger than he was, but it was the only way to survive. It was only a matter of time before a group of them managed to corner him. It ended with Jongup lying on the ground of a dark alleyway, bleeding out and gasping for help. He was lucky someone found him and took him in. He'd have sustained permanent nerve damage if not for the wires in his brain.

"It's...nothing too special. I lost a fight and needed this to make sure my brain didn't collapse in on itself."

Youngjae's eyes go even wider. He leans across the table, smiling in amazement. "Holy _shit_ , you're actually badass."

Jongup stares at Youngjae in disbelief. "I lost the fight."

"But you got cool cybernetics outta it! Dude, what are you even doing here?"

Jongup wipes his spoon on his napkin and dips it tentatively into the soup. He expects the worst, but it's a manageable sort of stew. "I told you already, I—"

"Look, I get it with the whole survival thing or whatever, but _damn_ , dude, you could have been a badass Lock Hunter instead of _this_." Youngjae sighs wistfully.

Jongup doesn't respond, and instead quietly sips his soup. It seems like Youngjae doesn't know a whole lot of Eucleia, or at least romanticized it. There is nothing to be romanticized on Eucleia. There aren't many Lock Hunters left on Eucleia, the rest are dead or immortalized and shrouded in exaggerated myths.

"I'm living to see one shitty day after another, Youngjae."

"Hey, you don't need to keep humoring him."

Jongup looks up from his soup to see a small group of office workers sit at their table, just a couple feet away from them. He also notices how Youngjae goes uncharacteristically quiet. He looks down at his soup, stirring it with his spoon. Jongup has known Youngjae for about a day, and this is the quietest he's been.

A different one pipes up, nudging Jongup's shoulder. "We know you're new here, so we'll give you some advice. He's never been on Eucleia, spent his entire life hopping from one base to the next. He doesn't know what he's talking about, so don't bother listening to him."

Jongup realizes that Youngjae wouldn't have latched onto him so quickly if not for the way these people shunned him. He really hates this company sometimes.

"I actually have something I'd like to talk to him about," Jongup says, picking up his tray. He doesn't bother keeping the disgust out of his voice. "Youngjae, let's go."

Youngjae stumbles a bit when he stands up and follows Jongup to drop off their trays at the counter by the kitchen. He doesn't say anything until they're out of the cafeteria and walking down the hall.

"You didn't have to do that," Youngjae says, his voice so low it's a whisper.

"Is it true?" Jongup asks.

"Is what true?"

"You've never been to Eucleia?" Jongup looks at Youngjae in the corner of his eye and notices he's gone a deep shade of red.

"Never," Youngjae says. "You know that debt? I was born on Omicron and raised on Tau. I've been rotated through each base my whole life."

Jongup isn't sure whether to pity Youngjae or envy him. He doesn't know anything outside of GAIA's lunar bases.

"I'll help you get the Key," Jongup says. He knows it's dangerous, but as much as he says he likes the security that comes with GAIA, he's never been more bored with his life.

Youngjae lights up. "Seriously? I thought you didn't want to."

"We're getting out of here. Besides, you're gonna need more help if you wanna take Jaesung down." Jongup stops walking to face Youngjae and hold his hand out to him. "Deal?"

Youngjae stares at Jongup's outstretched hand, then into Jongup's eyes. He almost looks like he's about to cry.

"You're supposed to shake it, you know," Jongup says with a smile.

Youngjae scoffs, but he smiles back at Jongup as he shakes his hand. "Deal."


	3. Chapter 3

Two days pass before anything new comes up. Jongup gets used to his new position as a "factory department manager”, which means he gets used to sitting in an office with a computer and a massive window overlooking the twelfth factory floor. He isn't entirely sure what he's supposed to be doing, so he sits in the office and watches a show for the eight hours he’s kept inside that room. 

As the main characters stare lovingly into each other’s eyes and romantic music plays in the background for three minutes, his mind begins to wander. Will he really be able to hunt for a Pandora Lock? He's heard stories of infamous Lock Hunters, the treasures they found, and the monsters they fought. None of them were short of amazing. His heart races at the thought of living like that. 

Jongup stares at the holographic screen in front of him, then out the window at the lines of factory workers. Maybe he's not meant to hunt for Pandora Locks, but he knows for sure that he isn't cut out for a life spent behind a desk, living each day the exact same as the last, knowing that the most change in his routine would be a transfer to a new base. 

The phone on his desk begins to ring. Jongup blinks and picks it up. "This is the twelfth factory floor. Moon Jongup speaking."

"It's me," Youngjae says on the other end. "I got new info."

Jongup's stomach jumps in excitement. "What is it?"

"It's this afternoon."

Jongup glances at the clock on the corner of the screen. It's nearly lunchtime. If he leaves a little early, no one will question it. 

"I'm on my way."

Jongup ends the call and pushes out of his chair. He's meeting Youngjae in the hangar bay to pick up a pod and then they'll be on their way to Eucleia. When he finally reaches the hangar, he sees Youngjae holding a briefcase and talking to one of the hangar supervisors. 

"I need a pod," he hears Youngjae say. 

"What for?" the supervisor asks. 

Jongup sees Youngjae freeze. He sighs, pulling out his old Omicron ID card, and comes up beside Youngjae. "Omicron divisional director. We need a pod to Eucleia for scouting purposes."

The supervisor immediately stands straighter. "I'm sorry, sir. I'll prepare a pod for you right away."

"Thank you," Jongup says before pocketing his card. 

"Your jacket still says Upsilon," Youngjae whispers when the supervisor is out of earshot. 

Jongup frowns and quickly shrugs off his jacket. He's grateful the base logo is tiny enough to go mostly unseen. 

"Damn, I guess you really can do anything if you're an Omicron." Youngjae sighs. "Thanks, by the way."

"Don't worry about it. You got the money?"

Youngjae lifts the briefcase in his left hand with a grin. "I'll go over the details in the pod."

The pod arrives from further in the hangar suspended from a massive magnet. It's lowered to the floor, and the supervisor comes back. 

"Here's your pod, sir. Have a safe trip to Eucleia."

Jongup nods to the supervisor before boarding the pod. He gets behind the steering wheel and Youngjae sits on the passenger side. They wait anxiously for the hangar doors to open. Jongup half-expects the supervisor to realize their plan and stop them before they can even leave the base. That doesn't happen, and the doors open. 

"Holy shit, go," Youngjae whispers, glancing out the window to the supervisor, who waves at them. "We gotta  _go_ , dude."

Jongup starts the engine. Once they're out of Upsilon's orbit and headed straight to Eucleia, Youngjae begins to laugh, half frantic and half hysterical. He clutches the briefcase to his chest, smiling so wide his face looks like it might split. 

"We did it! We're out! Holy shit!" Youngjae exclaims. He bounces in his seat, unable to contain his excitement. 

"Alright, alright, what's the plan?" Jongup asks, flipping the controls to autopilot. 

"Jaesung is supposed to meet up with some guy named Yongguk at Mammoth Square. We tell Yongguk that Jaesung sent us, give him the money, take the Key, open the Pandora Lock, and we'll be rich enough to leave this garbage can of a solar system."

Jongup doesn't know if Youngjae plans to stick together once they find a Pandora Lock, but he plans to take enough to leave on his own. 

"Solid," Jongup replies. 

"Approaching Eucleia atmosphere. Prepare for impact," the voice in the navigation system says. 

Jongup flips off the autopilot and grips the steering wheel. "Hold onto something. It's gonna get real bumpy."

Youngjae brings the case closer to his chest and holds onto the bar attached to the pod door. 

As they approach the atmosphere, the pod gets hotter as flames engulf the front. Jongup grits his teeth as the pod threatens to spin out of control. His knuckles turn white from how hard he's gripping the wheel. 

"Is the pod supposed to be breaking apart?!" Youngjae exclaims, his voice going higher in panic. 

Jongup glances out Youngjae's window and pales when he sees pieces of the pod flying off. "No?! Fuck, I don't know! Why is— _Shit_?!”

"That's why I'm asking you?!"

The pod breaks through the atmosphere. The flames die out one by one. A bead of sweat rolls down Jongup's temple. He takes a deep breath to focus. All he can see in front of him is desert wasteland. He scans for any sign of civilization. It'd be bad if they crash landed somewhere with no way to get to Yongguk. 

"Put Mammoth Square in the nav," Jongup says through gritted teeth. He glances out and sees more of the pod breaking off into the sky. "We need to land somewhere close to it because we can't afford to be stranded in the middle of the Badlands."

Youngjae quickly types in the nav. "Why would he give us this pod if it wasn't meant for breaking into the atmosphere? Do you think he knew?!"

Youngjae yelps as the pod jolts. 

"He couldn't have," Jongup replies. The controls are still fine despite everything. 

"Wait." Youngjae leans over to look out the window. "Is the... Is the pod...turning into a car?"

Jongup looks out the window to see metal panels moving to make the pod more suitable for the ground. His pent-up panic and frustration release into peals of hysterical laughter. "It's turning into a car. We're fucking saved."

"Ground collision imminent. Impact in t-minus ten, nine—"

"Pull up!" Youngjae shouts. 

"—eight—"

Jongup tugs on the steering wheel. "I can't!"

“—seven—“

"What do you mean you can't?!"

“—six—“

Jongup leans back, taking his hands off the wheel. "You wanna try?!"

“—five—“

Youngjae takes the wheel, but it only jerks to the side. "What do we do?!"

“—four—“

The ground is only getting closer. 

“—three—“

Jongup squeezes his eyes to prepare for the inevitable impact. 

“—two—“

He feels Youngjae's hand come up to grip the sleeve of his shirt. 

"—one—"

He isn't ready for the way the pod jerks to a stuttering stop and lowers to the ground. 

"—zero. Automobile mode engaged."

Jongup and Youngjae sit in tense silence as the engine purrs to life. The dust begins to settle, and so does Jongup's heartbeat. 

"What the  _fuck_?!" Youngjae shouts. 

Jongup jumps up. He looks at Youngjae, whose eyes are still wide with terror. "W-what is it?"

Youngjae sinks into his seat with a sigh and lets go of Jongup's sleeve. The color slowly returns to his face. "I think I lost, like, ten years of my life."

"Continue straight for 67 kilometers. The destination is on your right."

Jongup puts his hands on the steering wheel again and begins to drive. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Irregular updates probably depending on how long I can resist playing persona 5 and then actually sit down and write ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	4. Chapter 4

67 kilometers and about half an hour later, Jongup and Youngjae realize that Mammoth Square is the opposite of mammoth-sized. It's a small cluster of buildings surrounding a smaller clocktower. Jongup slows the pod to a crawl. 

"You got anything other than Mammoth Square?" Jongup asks. He warily eyes the few people standing on the sides of the road. 

"Something about a museum?" Youngjae replies, but he sounds unsure. 

Jongup looks at Youngjae, hoping his confused stare will be enough of a response. 

"Look, I'm just telling you what I heard," Youngjae says. He nods to the people standing to the side. "You think those people will kill us if we go talk to them?"

Jongup frowns. They look hardened by the streets and ready to pounce for blood, or at least their pod. "Definitely."

"So, we can't ask them, and we don't know where the hell this museum is. What do we do?" 

Jongup circles around the clocktower, scanning for anything that says museum. It's all old buildings struggling to keep from falling apart, the wood cracking and paint peeling from the sunlight. Mammoth Square has seen better days—maybe twenty years ago. 

"Wait, is that it?" Youngjae asks, pointing ahead and to the right. "Mammoth Square Museum."

"Looks like it." Jongup parks the pod to the side beneath the rusted sign. "Let's go. If we're quick, we can come back before someone steals the pod."

When they walk through the doors, dust covers everything in the main room. Taxidermied mutated monsters stand on displays, each one as horrific as the last. Some of them look like limbs and other appendages were attached post-taxidermy. It's a gruesome sight, but Youngjae seems to enjoy it. His eyes are sparkling with excitement when he turns to Jongup. His hand comes up to one of the displays, stopping just a couple inches from the dusty pelt. 

"Are these real?" he asks.

"No, they're fake," Jongup replies, and he almost feels bad for the way Youngjae kinda deflates. 

"Aw, but they look so cool."

Jongup walks further into the museum. "Come on, let's get this over with."

The door at the very back of the main room opens, the long metal creak echoing against the walls. Both Jongup and Youngjae jump. A man stands in the doorway, his eyebrows coming together as he examines them. 

"Either of you Kim Jaesung?" he asks. 

Jongup realizes that this must be Yongguk. "No, Jaesung sent us."

Yongguk's eyes flit to the briefcase Youngjae holds and runs his hand through his hair with a sigh. "Fine. Follow me."

Youngjae glances at Jongup, who tries to ignore the desperate plea for help in his eyes. They've come this far. They can't back down now. 

They walk out to an enclosed patio where a black airtight case sits on a lone table. Yongguk closes the door and stands at the table, his hands resting on the case. 

"Jaesung told you what you'd be dealing with, right?" Yongguk asks. 

Jongup and Youngjae nod. 

Yongguk's gaze flicks to the door for a brief moment before focusing back to them. "Alright, hand me the money and I'll give you the Key."

Youngjae begins to lift the case up onto the table, but Jongup stops him. "Wait."

Yongguk frowns. He shifts from one foot to another. He's uneasy, but what for?

"Show us the Key first. Gotta know if it's real," Jongup replies. This is the first time he's been back on Eucleia after a little over ten years, but he knows a shady deal when he sees one. 

Yongguk hesitates, his fingers drumming an annoying beat. "Fine." He flicks the latches up, and uncases the Key from its form-fitting foam mold. 

The Key is beautiful, but Jongup didn't think it was going to be so big. The conical shape is engraved in an alien language he can't translate. He picks it up, surprised at how light it is despite its size. It’s warm in his hands. It pulsates a bright turquoise, almost like the beating of a heart. Almost like a living being.

"So this is it," Jongup whispers.

Youngjae reaches out to touch it. "It's amazing."

Yongguk's phone rings, and he turns to the side as he answers it. He walks to the other side of the patio. He's too quiet for Jongup to hear, but the cautious glances in their direction tell him enough. 

"Put it back," Jongup whispers. 

Youngjae opens his mouth to protest, then quickly closes it when he sees Yongguk. When he returns, Youngjae places the briefcase on the table. 

"Well, this is definitely a Key. And this is definitely twenty million crystals, just like you asked," Youngjae says. 

Yongguk crosses his arms over his chest, frowning. "Jaesung didn't send you."

Jongup begins to think of a lie, but before he can get very far, Youngjae replies for him.  "No, he didn't."

Jongup looks at Youngjae, his eyes wide in horror. "What the  _hell_ —"

Yongguk tilts his head. "Then why did you do this?"

Youngjae grins. "To get back at that son of a bitch."

Yongguk starts laughing. Jongup and Youngjae look at each other before nervously laughing themselves. "You guys are fucked."

Before they can react, Yongguk snaps his fingers, and Jongup blacks out. 

//

The first time Jongup wakes up, his mind is still spinning and his vision is still fuzzy. He groans and his head tips over his left shoulder. He squints into the bright light hanging above him. He tries to move, but his entire body feels like it's being weighed down by lead weights. 

"You saw the port on his head, right? It's Lyra tech."

Jongup struggles to keep his head upright. He catches a glimpse of Yongguk and another man talking to each other before his head rolls forward into his chest. 

"Do you really think it'll work?"

"We have to try. We have a Lyra data needle and a Lyra port. When are we going to have another chance like this?"

Yongguk walks to Jongup. He lifts Jongup's head by his chin. Jongup blinks through the haze, trying to focus.

Yongguk turns to the other man. "He's awake."

"Do it anyway."

Jongup notices the data needle in Yongguk's hand, about as big as a screwdriver. He's suddenly a lot more awake than before. He tries to pull away from Yongguk, but his body moves like it's underwater. 

"Wait—" 

Yongguk holds tighter, his fingers pressing firm against Jongup’s jaw. "Keep still, I don't wanna hurt you."

Panic begins to well up inside Jongup. His breaths come out in scared, quick exhales out his nose. When he speaks, his voice is muffled. "N-no, please—"

Yongguk shoves the data needle into Jongup's port before he can say anything else. Massive amounts of data flood his mind. His muscles spasm and jerk. He squeezes his eyes shut as pain spreads to every part of his body. 

"Yo, what the  _fuck_  is going on?!"

Before Jongup completely loses consciousness again, he realizes he doesn't recognize the voice. 

The second time Jongup wakes up, he's more coherent. He realizes he's bound to a chair. He pulls on the rope, but it's tied tight. The room he's in is barren except for a bright light hanging over his head. 

"Youngjae," Jongup mutters. His head is still spinning. He looks around, but the rope around his waist doesn't allow much movement. He squeezes his eyes shut, trying to remember the last moment before he blacked out. The deal, the Key…

_"You guys are fucked."_

"You finally awake?"

Jongup blinks, still bleary-eyed. He gags and dry heaves to the side. 

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up, you're not  _actually_  dying, are you?" the voice asks. 

Jongup groans. When he finally gets his bearings, he sees a man standing in front of him. "Wha—"

Jongup realizes that the man standing in front of him is Jung Daehyun, who is an infamous Eucleian bounty hunter with over three hundred confirmed kills and  _supposed_  to be dead. 

"Why... How are— What's happening?" Jongup manages to ask. He has to dry heave again, but he tries to hold it back. He starts to tear up and ends up dry heaving anyway.

"Whoa, calm down—" Daehyun reaches out to grab Jongup's shoulder, but his fingers go right through Jongup. He jerks his hand away. "Wait." He tries to grab onto Jongup again—with the same results. "What the fuck."

Jongup notices that Daehyun isn't completely solid. He's literally transparent. "You... You're...a ghost."

Daehyun laughs, but Jongup hears the nervous tension behind it. "What? No. No, that's...that's impossible."

Jongup takes several deep breaths to calm himself down and just focus. "You  _died_  on Eucleia, but why are you..."

That's when Jongup remembers the data needle. His skin around the port still stings. He stares at Daehyun who's begun to pace the length of the room, staring at his own hands in quiet shock. 

"They uploaded you into my fucking mind," Jongup whispers. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There he is, in all his dead holographic glory. Also not actually seen: Jongup internally screaming and Daehyun actually hearing all of it.


	5. Chapter 5

Daehyun bursts into laughter. He doubles over, clutching his stomach. "Nice imagination you got there, dude. Real nice."

"I'm not making it up," Jongup says. He's still trying to come to terms with it himself, but he has bigger problems to deal with right now. 

The door opens and Yongguk walks in right through Daehyun. 

"Hey, watch it!" Daehyun exclaims. He recoils his arm, ready to punch Yongguk, but it goes right through him. Daehyun falls forward and when he hits the ground, he dissolves into a cloud of pixels. 

"How are you feeling?" Yongguk asks, completely unaware of Daehyun. 

"Where's Youngjae?" Jongup replies instead. He'll never be able to forgive himself if Youngjae died before actually seeing the rest of Eucleia. 

Yongguk sighs. "He's fine."

That doesn't make Jongup feel better, but he keeps quiet. 

Yongguk takes a knife out of his pocket and walks behind Jongup. He begins to protest, but he stops when he hears the rope being cut. When all the rope is on the ground, Jongup looks at Yongguk as he rubs his sore wrists. 

"Why—"

Yongguk pockets the knife and pulls a gun out from his waistband. He nods to the door. "You're coming with me."

Jongup walks out of the door and into the hall. He tries to stay calm despite the muzzle of a pistol pressing into the small of his back. 

"The third door to your left," Yongguk says, pushing Jongup forward with the pistol. 

"Jaesung will come back for us." It's a blatant lie, but Yongguk doesn't need to know that. 

GAIA Imports is a huge company spread across nineteen lunar bases. There's no way Jaesung is going to pay ransom for two employees he can easily replace. Jongup realizes maybe that's why he was moved to Upsilon. He just...wasn't needed anymore.

"That's what we're planning on." 

Before Jongup can ask anything else, he's already facing the door. He pushes it open and sees Youngjae handcuffed and sitting on a bench. The other man sits at a table with a laptop in front of him. 

"Jongup!" Youngjae exclaims, smiling in relief. 

Jongup will admit that the smile he feels on his face is genuine.

"Sit beside him," Yongguk says. 

The other man hands Yongguk a pair of handcuffs. "At least cuff him, too."

Yongguk takes the handcuffs, and Jongup holds out his hands. When he looks into Yongguk's eyes, he almost sees something that he swears looks like remorse. 

"I'm calling him now," the other man says when Yongguk finishes and stands beside him. 

"Are you okay?" Jongup whispers when he sits beside Youngjae. 

"Relatively. You?" Youngjae asks. He grimaces. "Oh man, your port is lookin' a little, uh...crispy. What the hell happened?"

"Long story," Jongup replies. He glances over at Yongguk and the other man staring into the laptop screen. “I’ll tell you later.”

"Who is this? How did you get this number?" Jaesung's voice comes in from the laptop's speakers. 

"Kim Jaesung," the other man says. "We have two of your employees here. If you want them back, we want five million crystals each for them."

Jongup feels like he's worth more than five million crystals, but he isn't one to complain right now.

Jaesung is silent for a moment. "Which ones?"

The other man turns the laptop to face Jongup and Youngjae. Jaesung stares at them, his face slowly twisting into extreme disgust. 

"You're the ones who took the Key from me?" Jaesung asks. "You stole twenty million crystals from my company and still have the nerve to take a Key from me? I gave you little shits the lives you're leading right now! This is the gratitude you show me?!"

Jongup's stomach sinks. It's one thing to know how Jaesung will react, but it's another thing to have the confirmation. 

The other man quickly turns the laptop towards him. "So, about the—"

"I couldn't care less about them," Jaesung says, his voice hard and cold with anger. "But I still don't have a Key."

Yongguk and the other man exchange nervous glances. 

"I'm sending a SORA to retrieve it," Jaesung says. 

He ends the call before anybody can say much else. The other man looks up at Yongguk, then at the laptop, then at Jongup and Youngjae. 

"Your boss is a  _dick_ ," he says, somehow both surprised and amused. 

Yongguk looks at Jongup. "Guess he's not coming for you after all."

Youngjae leans toward Jongup. "Why is he sending a SORA for the Key? A bit overkill, don't you think?"

Jongup looks down at his feet. Jaesung wouldn't send a SORA unless he wants to kill everyone here. 

"What's a SORA?" the other man asks. 

"Solar-Operated Retrieval Android," Youngjae replies. "It can endure the harshest environments and... Oh  _shit_."

Jongup feels Youngjae tense beside him, everything in his body freezing in horror. Seems like he realized it too. 

"What?" Yongguk asks. 

"It's equipped with military-grade weaponry. Jaesung doesn't just want the Key. He wants to kill us." Youngjae's voice drops to a horrified whisper. 

The other man pulls a gun from his waistband and points it at Jongup's head. 

Youngjae yelps, jumping up in his seat. "Whoa! Hold up! You— You don't wanna shoot us!"

"Why not?" He cocks the gun and his finger begins to curl around the trigger. 

"Himchan, wait," Yongguk says, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"We have to go, Bbang. They'll just slow us down," Himchan replies. 

"You want to know what was in that data needle, right?" There's no way they'd believe Jongup if he told them the truth, but it's all he has. 

"He has a point," Yongguk says, tightening his grip. 

Himchan aims at Youngjae, who squeezes his eyes shut. "And what about him?"

Jongup positions himself as best he can between Youngjae and the gun. “No, wait, he’s—“

"Th-the case," Youngjae replies, his voice shaking. He clears his throat, and the words spill out of him faster than a bullet. "The case. It's coded to my fingerprint. If anybody else tries to get into it, it'll blow up."

"Wait,  _what_?!" Himchan exclaims. He lowers his gun with a loud sigh. "Fine, I guess we're taking them with us, then."

Jongup turns to Youngjae in amazement. "Seriously?"

"Dude. Twenty million crystals. I'd be stupid not to."

Yongguk takes a ring of keys from his pocket and unlocks the handcuffs. "Enough. We gotta get going, come on."

"Follow me, we're going to the van.” Himchan takes the keys from Yongguk when the handcuffs are off. "Bbang, you got everything?"

"Yeah, give me a few minutes."

When they walk outside into the stuffy desert air, a high-pitched screech fills the air. Jongup squints into the bright sunlight, and he sees the SORA in the sky, leaving a trail of white smoke behind it. 

"There she is," Youngjae says, his voice equal parts amazement and dread. 

"Bbang, we don't got a few minutes!" Himchan shouts into the shack. He leads Jongup and Youngjae to a beaten down van. "Get in the back."

Himchan barely gets the door open before the SORA lands about thirty feet from the van. The ground shakes. The single glowing optic reticle on its head blinks as it scans the landscape. 

"Oh, we're dead," Youngjae whispers. 

"Shut up," Himchan growls. 

Jongup hears his heartbeat pound in his ears. The SORA is huge, easily over twenty feet, and the bright red paint on its metal plates is incredibly intimidating. 

"Targets acquired." The SORA's arms turn into machine guns. 

Himchan pulls the van's door open. "Get in!"

Jongup and Youngjae don't need to be told twice. Himchan slams the door shut behind them. 

"Bbang, a little help!" Himchan takes his gun out of his waistband and starts firing. The bullets just bounce off. He ducks behind a pile of rubble as the machine guns go off. 

Bullets pelt the van. Jongup shoves Youngjae's head down. Luckily, the window doesn't shatter. 

"The SORA is made to withstand a little gunfire," Youngjae says, sounding completely resigned. "We're going to fucking die here."

Himchan pulls something out of his pocket. Jongup realizes it's a grenade. Himchan pulls the pin out and throws it at the SORA. 

"What the hell is he thinking?" Jongup mutters. If they get caught in the blast, they'll only complete the SORA's job faster. 

When the grenade goes off, smoke billows out. Within seconds, Jongup can't even see outside the van. 

Youngjae hums. "Oh. Smoke bomb. Nice." The SORA appears in the smoke, the singular eye glowing an angry red. Youngjae screams. "Oh fuck! Not nice!"

Jongup notices the keys in the ignition. He climbs into the front seat and starts the engine. He puts the car in reverse. The SORA's eye gets smaller, and then they're out of the smoke. Jongup squints into the harsh sunlight. The SORA appears above the smoke, its jets blowing the smoke away.

Jongup stares at the SORA, then the smoke that's beginning to clear. If he squints, he can see Yongguk and Himchan's silhouettes. He looks back at the SORA, then back at their silhouettes. 

He can be a dick and just save Youngjae and himself. Or he can be a Good Guy and go back to save Yongguk and Himchan. The SORA takes aim at the van. He doesn't have much time to decide. 

"Fuck it." Jongup shifts gears and drives toward the smoke. 

"What— That’s not an escape!" Youngjae shouts. 

The SORA begins shooting the van. Jongup swerves to avoid the rain of bullets. He winces when the van takes more bullets than he'd like. 

"We're going back to get Yongguk and Himchan!"

Youngjae makes a sound of indignation. "Why are you—"

"They still have the Key. And if we're lucky, we can take back the twenty million from them too."

Jongup takes cover behind the shack. Yongguk and Himchan emerge from the smoke. 

"Open the door!" Jongup exclaims. 

Youngjae throws the door open, and Yongguk and Himchan spill in. 

"Alright, let's go!" Youngjae pulls the door closed. 

Jongup pulls away from the shack and steps on the gas, leaving the SORA in a cloud of dust. 

"You...came back for us," Himchan gasps. He glances out the back window. "Shit. It's still coming after us." He hops into the passenger seat. "I'll lead you somewhere we can hide for now. Bbang, cover the back."

"On it." Yongguk climbs into the back seat.

The back window rolls down and Yongguk sets up a machine gun. 

"You just have that sitting back there?!” Youngjae exclaims. 

"Come back here and cover for me," Yongguk says, throwing a laser gun at Youngjae. "You know how to shoot a gun, right? Aim and pull the trigger."

Youngjae laughs nervously. He takes the gun into his hands. "Y-yeah. A laser gun. Definitely. No problem."

”Drive towards that mountain range on your left. We have a bunker there in one of the caves.” Himchan turns around. "It's getting closer!"

"We're working on it!" Yongguk roars from the back.

A bright blue laser erupts from the back seat. Jongup feels the van jump forward. When he looks into the rearview mirror, the SORA is stopped and a part of its shoulder is burned. 

"How is this so strong?!" Youngjae shouts. 

The SORA begins chasing them again. 

"Good! Keep going!"

"Watch out!" Himchan shouts. 

In the corner of his eye, Jongup sees a radioactive monster charge towards their van. He makes a sharp right, throwing himself against the door. Its massive horns brush against the side of the van. It spins around, its six eyes focusing on them. 

"What in Zeus' actual asshole?!" Youngjae shoots the gun again. He misses both the SORA and the monster. 

"Focus on the SORA. I got this one." Yongguk fires the machine gun. "Aim at its thrusters. Slow it down."

The monster roars when it's pelted with bullets. 

Jongup feels the ground shake when the monster begins charging them again. He swerves to the left before it hits them. He yelps as he narrowly avoids an outcropping of rocks. 

A laser explodes in the back, followed by Youngjae's surprised "I hit it!"

Jongup looks in the rearview mirror. The SORA is on the ground. It tries to get back in the air, but its single thruster struggles with the weight. He looks ahead and sees the monster getting ready to charge again. He takes a deep breath. He has half a plan. 

Jongup slams his foot on the brakes, throwing everyone forward. He realizes it’s still only half a plan.

Everybody begins yelling at him, but he ignores them. The monster charges at the van. He glances in the rearview mirror. The SORA half-sprints, half-limps, only one side boosted by its thruster. 

"Are you trying to get us killed?!" Himchan shouts. He begins pulling Jongup out of the seat. 

"I have a plan! Just trust me!" Jongup pushes Himchan away. He glances in the rearview mirror at the SORA. "Youngjae! At my signal, shoot the laser!"

"Got it!"

They're both getting closer, and everything slows down. Jongup can see the monster’s jagged teeth. Its breath comes in wet, rotting gusts of wind. The ground shakes.

"Jongup...," Youngjae calls nervously. 

Time snaps back into place like a rubber band stretched too tight.

Jongup steps on the accelerator, charging towards the monster. "Youngjae, now!"

Jongup turns the van left just as Youngjae fires, throwing the van forward. The monster impales the SORA with its horns. The SORA's glowing eye fades to black. The monster falls to its knees, pawing at the SORA now stuck to its horns. 

"Holy shit, that was genius," Himchan whispers. He tugs Jongup's arm. "Now move so I can drive."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Action scenes are not my strong suit, I realize after I write an action-centered fic lmao


	6. Chapter 6

Himchan pulls up to another shack at the entrance to a cave. He shuts off the van's engine and everything goes quiet. They're all silent for a moment, unmoving as the setting sun casts orange rays into the cave entrance. 

Yongguk is the first to break the silence. "Why did you come back for us?"

Jongup isn't even sure why he did. "I..." He laughs, a little breathless, maybe even desperate. "You guys still have the Key. We didn't steal twenty million from our company and go completely rogue to walk away without a Key."

In the rearview mirror, Jongup sees Yongguk nod. "That's fair."

"Bbang," Himchan begins, but he's interrupted by a roaring engine. The sunlight suddenly disappears. He looks in the mirror and groans. "Fucking seriously? I don't wanna deal with this right now."

A large pickup truck decorated with heavy-duty chains, flamethrowers, and every type of gun rolls up to the cave entrance. A head with platinum blond hair pokes out of the driver's side window. 

"Wassup, my little cherub-faced shit-machines! I've come to collect what's due!" the head yells. 

Himchan rests his head on top of the steering wheel, taking several deep breaths. When he looks up, he groans again. He turns to Jongup and Youngjae. "Stay here." To Yongguk, he says, "Let's go."

They get out of the van and walk towards the truck. Jongup sees the obvious tension in their shoulders. 

"How are my favorite leeches?" the man asks. He opens the door and hops out. He stands at least a full foot taller than Yongguk and Himchan, and Jongup notices the prosthetics on his legs. 

"What do you want, Zico?" Yongguk asks. 

"Collection day," Zico replies with a toothy grin. "Where's my money?"

"We don't have it all yet. Give us a couple more weeks," Himchan says. 

Zico clicks his tongue in disapproval and puts his hands on his hips. "You said that _a couple weeks ago_. You're my favorite leeches, but I can't keep waiting for you to pull through."

Himchan crosses his arms above his chest. "Zico, I swear we'll get you your money—"

"You've forced my hand," Zico says, his voice dropping ominously. He snaps his fingers and two more men hop out of the truck. They stand beside Zico, waiting instructions. "Search their van."

Yongguk and Himchan exchange worried glances and then look at the van where Jongup and Youngjae sit with dread heavy in the pits of their stomachs. 

Yongguk takes a step forward. "Wait, no, Zico—"

"It's nothing personal. I'll just take what I think equals what you owe me."

The two men open the doors and pull out Jongup and Youngjae.

Jongup glares at the man holding onto his elbow and yanks his arm away. 

"Hey! Let go of me!" Youngjae exclaims. 

The two men shrug and begin searching the van. 

Zico looks at Jongup and Youngjae and whistles. "This why you don't have my money yet? Y'all are spending it on a couple fuckboys?"

Youngjae takes a step forward. "We're not—"

"Youngjae." Jongup places his arm in front of Youngjae to hold him back. He doesn't want to cause any more trouble than they seem to be in. 

Zico's eyes widen. " _GAIA_  fuckboys? Who did you pay to get them?!"

Jongup feels Youngjae tremble with rage. 

"Boss," one of the men says. He emerges from the van with the case holding the Key. 

Zico looks at the case with a raised eyebrow. "Bring it here." He turns to Yongguk and Himchan. "What's in it?"

"Why don't you open it and find out?" Yongguk asks with a smug grin. 

Zico frowns, obviously suspicious. When the man brings the case, he opens it. He laughs, both in disbelief and amazement, as the Key lights up his face. "You dipshits were hiding a Key? Holy fuck, what  _don't_  you have?"

"Boss, there's more," the other one says, holding the briefcase with the money. 

"No," Youngjae whispers. He goes to take the briefcase, but the man shoves him away. "Put that down!"

"Shit, what's your problem?" the man says with a scowl. He goes to give it to Zico. 

Jongup goes to help Youngjae up. He looks at Jongup, his body trembling. "If they open it...the money. Jongup, the  _bomb_."

Jongup squeezes his hands around Youngjae's shoulders. "We'll get it back, don't worry."

"Hey, fuckboys, come here," Zico says, nodding to Jongup and Youngjae. "What you got in the briefcase?"

Jongup and Youngjae walk up to Zico. Jongup's stomach flips as he looks up at Zico. He towers over all of them. When they get closer, Jongup sees the sharpened tips at the end of his prosthetics. He gulps. Zico could easily stab them with a single kick, and he wouldn't give a single fuck. 

Jongup forces himself to calm down. "It's not important."

Zico clicks his tongue. "The way your friend reacted says otherwise."

"Leave them out of this, Zico," Yongguk says through gritted teeth. "They're not the ones who owe you."

Zico hums. "Alright, fine. You two can tell me what's in the case."

Between the tension and fear and anxiety, Jongup almost doesn't notice the way one of Zico's men stares at the Key still laying in the open case. His eyes are wide with greed. He looks at Zico, then back at the Key. He grabs the Key and runs to the cave entrance. In the blink of an eye, Zico pulls a gun out of his pocket and shoots. Everyone jumps as the gunshot echoes and bounces against the cave walls. Jongup’s ears ring. The man falls to the ground and drops the Key, which shatters to pieces. 

Jongup stares at the blood beginning to pool under the dead man, then the pieces of the broken Key as the turquoise light fades. Keys aren't supposed to shatter so easily, unless—

"It was  _fake_?! What were you doing with a fake fuckin' Key?!" Zico exclaims. 

Himchan's hands curl into fists. "So we could sell it and get  _your_  fucking money!"

Zico takes a step towards Himchan and grabs his chin with pale fingers. Jongup feels cold fear shoot through him at the fury raging behind Zico's eyes. "Watch. Your. Tone."

Himchan lets out a shaky breath and a quiet, "I'm sorry."

Zico throws Himchan's head to the side. Yongguk grabs onto Himchan's arm. "Well, now that I know the Key is useless, I'll be taking this briefcase since you have nothing else in my interest."

Youngjae steps forward, taking the briefcase into his arms. "You can't."

Zico frowns, the fury in his eyes slowly returning. "Tell me why, fuckboy."

Youngjae gulps, holding eye contact with Zico. "You... You just can't."

"Do you want to end up like him?" Zico asks, pointing at the man still bleeding on the ground. He takes slow steps towards Youngjae. 

Youngjae shakes his head. 

"Then tell me why you can't give it to me, fuckboy." Zico places a hand on the case, his fingers curling around the smooth edges. 

"It'll explode if anyone but me opens it!" Youngjae confesses. 

Yongguk sighs at the same time Himchan mutters "Shit."

Zico backs away, his eyes wide in genuine surprise. “So no one else but you, huh?”

Youngjae nods.

Zico turns to the other man still standing beside him. "Put him in the truck."

Jongup feels his stomach drop. He steps in between Youngjae and Zico. 

"Does Fuckboy Number Two need something?" Zico asks. 

Jongup doesn't— _can't_ —back down. "You're not taking him."

Zico looks wholly unimpressed. He shrugs. "Guess you're coming with us, then."

The man pistol-whips Jongup, and he falls to the ground before he could even get another word in.

"You know, we really gotta stop meeting like this. I might— Um, what is happening  _now_?" Daehyun asks. 

"Not now," Jongup mutters into the ground. He grits his teeth. He's gotten too soft. Is this what a spoiled ten years working for GAIA looks like? Maybe he should have left earlier. Maybe he shouldn’t have left in the first place.

The man lifts Jongup to his feet and drags him and Youngjae to the truck. 

Daehyun stands in front of Zico, crossing his arms and his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Wait, I know this guy. He looks  _really_  familiar."

Jongup's head is still spinning from the hit. He doesn't put up much of a fight against the man as he throws them into the truck. 

"Jongup, what do we do?" Youngjae whispers, looking back out, then back at Jongup. His hand goes up to gently touch Jongup's temple. "Oh... Oh shit, he hit you right in your port. That's probably not good."

Zico gets into the driver's seat and his henchman in the passenger seat. Zico rolls down his window and sticks his head out. 

"See you leeches later!"

Daehyun appears in the seat between Jongup and Youngjae in a cloud of pixels, snapping his fingers. "Jiho! Pisshead Jiho! Fuck, he _finally_ got a decent dye job!"


	7. Chapter 7

Jongup sits in the truck in disbelief. He watches the tan desert wasteland pass him by as the sun continues to set. The mountains in the distance are unmoving, slowly changing color from gray to pink to dark red. 

Throughout the entire ride, Daehyun sits in between Jongup and Youngjae, arms crossed and staring at Zico and his henchman. "Where the fuck did _Zico_ come from, though? Like, damn, did Pisshead Jiho affect him that much? He, of _all_ people, should know the name was just for shits and giggles."

Daehyun does not shut up the whole way. It's a shame only Jongup can hear him. It's also a shame that Jongup can't tell him to shut up without sounding like he's losing his mind. 

When the truck finally stops, Jongup looks out to see an abandoned Lyra warehouse crawling with bandits. When the waves of people hunting for Pandora Locks died down to a steady trickle, Lyra went out of business. He never would have guessed that these buildings were still here. 

But then again, he feels like he should have known better than to expect anything more from a dirty corporation that capitalized on suckers searching for buried alien treasure.

"Let's go," Zico says, opening the door. 

Daehyun stands outside of the truck, his hands on his hips as he looks up the warehouse tower. "Wow, I haven't seen one of these in a while."

The henchman pulls Youngjae out of his seat and Zico does the same to Jongup. 

"I can get out of a car on my own," Youngjae growls. 

Zico pushes Jongup towards his henchman and takes Youngjae. "You know where to put him. I'll take this one."

The henchman nods and takes Jongup into the warehouse. It's stuffy and people stare at him when he walks past. If he squints, it's almost like he's back on Upsilon. At least Upsilon smelled decent. The sharp stench of blood and motor oil seemingly permeating from the walls makes him want to gag. 

The henchman opens a door and pushes Jongup inside. He slams the door closed, and Jongup hears a heavy bolt locked on the outside. 

Jongup sighs. He looks around the room. It's an old office. There are relics of Lyra's past glory laying around the room: a desk and its matching chair, countless papers yellowed from age and crumbling beneath his feet, and clumps of exposed wire littered everywhere. Jongup walks up to the only window in the room, which looks out to a lower floor. Bandits and vehicles pass through, and faint shouts can be heard beyond the walls. 

"Boy, seems you got yourself in quite the situation."

Jongup turns on his heel and finds Daehyun looking at him with a mix of pity and amusement in his eyes. 

Jongup frowns. He should have known this whole plan was going to go to shit. He should have known that Eucleia wasn't going to treat him kindly when he came back. Instead, Eucleia welcomed him back with a slap across the face, a harsh laugh when he hit the ground, and a snide "You guys are fucked". 

Jongup can't help but glare at Daehyun. "Look, my friend is probably going to die, there are twenty million crystals on the line, and I found out the Key I risked my life for isn't even real, so I'm not in a very good place right now."

Daehyun lets out a long sigh, then scratches his head, looking down at the ground. "I... Sorry. I don't know how to help you."

Jongup wants to feels bad, but his mind is preoccupied with bigger matters. 

The first is getting out of his office-prison cell type thing. He almost laughs. Once again, he finds himself trying to escape an office. 

The second is finding Youngjae and the money and leaving. Given how big this warehouse is, Jongup needs something more than a factory floor to go by. 

He crosses his arms over his chest and looks out the window again. Zico and Youngjae walk out from the shadows. Jongup only notices them because the crowd stops and makes a path for them like Zico just parted the ocean. Youngjae follows him, still clutching the briefcase to his chest and turning his head from side to side nervously. 

Daehyun whistles. "Who knew Pisshead Jiho was able to build a rep like that?" He shakes his head, obviously impressed. "Damn, I guess no one can recover from a shit nickname like Zico can."

"How do you even know him?” Jongup asks. 

"We used to race together," Daehyun replies. 

Jongup furrows his brows, turning to face Daehyun again. "Race? Like...the Battle Races?"

Daehyun grins, his eyes going faraway and almost glassy like he's remembering fonder times. "That's it. It was more of a side job for me, you know with assassination being my main job, but Jiho... I mean, uh, Zico was really into it. I wonder if he still does it."

It's not surprising, considering the Battle Races lure in adrenaline junkies with the promise of quick cash and death-defying feats. Jongup remembers Zico's truck and wonders why he didn't consider it before. 

"Did you see his truck?" Jongup asks. "I think he actually might."

Daehyun nods in approval as he looks at Zico and Youngjae make their way across the floor. "Little Pisshead Jiho made it."

Jongup fails to feel the same pride Daehyun does, but it's almost admirable nonetheless. 

"I have to get out of here," Jongup says, pacing the room. "Once Zico finds out what's in the case, he won't need Youngjae anymore. I can't let him kill Youngjae."

Daehyun scoffs, staring at Jongup pace. "What's your attachment to him anyway? He seems like the more useless one outta both of you." 

Jongup can’t help but take extreme offense. He glares at Daehyun, who takes a step back and holds his hands up. Sure, he’s known Youngjae for about four days, but a lot has happened in those four days, and he thinks maybe they’re at a level he can consider themselves friends. “He’s my friend. I’m not going to leave him behind to save my own ass.”

_Especially not on this death planet_ , Jongup thinks. Maybe he still feels guilty for not talking Youngjae out of stealing Taesong’s deal.

"Whoa, shit, sorry I said anything, geez. It's just, uh…” Daehyun crosses his arms, suddenly defensive. “Friends aren’t going to save your ass when you really need it. They’ll only slow you down.”

Jongup stares at Daehyun, and he sees a lonely young man. A lonely young man who is _dead_. He remembers fighting the SORA and the monster in a van with Youngjae and two complete strangers. Certain circumstances can bring people together, and Jongup isn’t sure what Daehyun’s story is, but he can guess why Daehyun died so young.

“Fine, if you don’t want to help me, I’ll find another way out of here,” Jongup says. 

Daehyun doesn’t say anything, and he disappears instead.

Jongup looks out the window again. He notices a metal walkway about a floor beneath him leading to a staircase down to the main floor. The glass on the window is cracked in some places. It won’t be the quietest escape, but he’ll have at least a minute before people start going after him.

A minute won’t be enough to look for Youngjae.

Jongup walks to the door, turning the knob and pushing it. It doesn’t budge, and someone outside slams a fist on it.

“Don’t think you can try any shit,” he says. It doesn’t sound like the henchman who brought him in.

Jongup turns back to the window. Seems this is his only option. He grabs the chair by the desk and lifts it above his head. He takes a deep breath. It’s now or never. He throws the chair into the window. The glass shatters and falls onto the walkway below. Jongup kicks some jagged pieces away to make a bigger hole and jumps down. He lands on the metal walkway and hisses as sharp pain shoots up his legs. It sways underneath him. He slowly straightens, trying to regain his balance.

“Hey!” someone shouts from the bottom floor.

Jongup nearly pisses his pants when a handful of bandits start shooting him. He takes off running, ducking behind the railing as a cover. He jumps when bullets pelt the metal sheet. When he reaches the staircase, he notices a crowd beginning to climb up.

“Fuck,” Jongup mutters. He looks up, then back down at the bandits shouting and climbing after him, and sprints up the steps two at a time. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck––“

Jongup is two more floors up from where he started when the bandits begin shooting again. He darts into a room for cover.

“Um…”

Jongup spins around and finds a lone bandit standing in the room, his stance halfway between offensive and confused. He has a mask on his face, and Jongup gets an idea. He pulls the door shut.

“Who the fuck are you?” the bandit asks, pulling his gun slowly out of its holster.

“Who the fuck are you?” Jongup mimics in a slightly higher, mocking pitch.

Jongup imagines the bandit would be frowning behind his mask. They circle around each other. The gun is out and pointed at him now. The shouts are getting louder.

“Don’t… Don’t fuck around with me, man.”

Jongup lunges towards the bandit, tackling him to the ground. He hits the floor with a surprised grunt. The gun spins out of his hand on the floor.

“This wasn’t part of my wet dream,” the bandit groans.

Jongup makes a disgusted face before punching the bandit’s jaw. The bandit falls still before shaking with stifled laughter. 

“That actually kinda tickled, holy shit,” he says between giggles.

Jongup turns red, both from embarrassment and disbelief. Mostly embarrassment. Before he can even fully recover, the bandit pushes him off and jumps to his feet. 

“So, who the fuck are you?” the bandit asks again.

Jongup eyes the gun. The bandit turns his head in the same direction. They both dive for the gun at the same time. The bandit’s fingertips brush the muzzle, spinning it further away. Jongup wrestles the bandit to keep him away from it. He gets the bandit’s arms pinned beneath his knees, and begins to choke the bandit.

“Fucking… Stop…struggling,” Jongup mutters. He presses his entire weight down into his palms. He feels the bandit’s rushing jugular begin to slow.

The bandit tries to pull in gulps of air. He kicks his legs up, but Jongup’s hips prevent him from moving too much. Eventually, he goes completely slack, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Jongup feels a faint heartbeat before letting go. He winces at the red marks his hands left behind. He falls to the side, taking a moment to catch his breath.

The shouts get louder and more hectic outside. 

Jongup groans as he stands up. He takes off the bandit’s mask and jacket, and puts them on himself. He picks up the gun and heads out. The crowd brushes right past him, some separating to search the other halls. He takes a deep breath and rushes down to the bottom floor.

Jongup finds Zico easily enough. He follows the echoing sound of knives clacking against the concrete like high heels. The mask gives him more than enough of a disguise, but he’s afraid that his heavy breaths will give him away. His heart pounds in his chest. The gun is heavy in his hand. The mask smells like fermented sweat and bad breath. 

The urge to puke is very strong.

Eventually, he hears Zico talk to Youngjae. He stops just outside an open doorway, peering in to see Zico leaning over a table to glare at Youngjae.

“So, you wanna open the case or nah?” Zico asks. He sounds friendly enough, but there’s irritation in his voice.

Youngjae is silent, surprisingly determined despite facing the very real danger that he’s facing in the form of Zico’s knife prosthetics for legs.

Zico clicks his tongue and begins pacing the room. Jongup darts back behind the doorframe before Zico sees him. “Now what’s stopping me from chopping your hands off to get your fingerprints?”

“It needs my heartbeat and fingerprint.”

Jongup decides as he enters he room that Youngjae is some sort of insane genius.

Zico stops pacing and glares at Jongup. For a quick and panicked second, he worries that Zico sees right through the mask, but Zico just asks “What the hell do you want?”

Jongup does his best to change his voice. “Boss, the other guy… He, uh… He escaped. We don’t know where he is,” Jongup lies right through his teeth, but he’s in a hurry, and the look of absolute despair and betrayal that crosses Youngjae’s face makes him stumble on his words.

Zico frowns, then groans as he looks up at the ceiling. “Are you serious? _Fuck_ , you dipshits are so fucking… You know what, just…watch this fuckboy. I’m gonna go deal with them.”

Zico walks out of the room, his steps fading as he walks down the hall.

Jongup rips the mask off his face and gulps in the cool air. Not the freshest, but it’s better than the stuffy mask. “ _Holy_ shit, that was disgusting.”

Youngjae’s face immediately lights up with such intense relief that Jongup has to take a moment. “You came back for me?”

Jongup is confused for a quick second because–– “Why wouldn’t I?”

Youngjae just smiles and stands up. “Let’s go before Zico comes back.”

They don’t get out of the hallway before they hear Zico shout “He’s wearing a mask, you fucks!” His voice echoes throughout the large room and down into the hall.

“Walk faster,” Jongup mutters, pressing a hand in between Youngjae’s shoulder blades.

Youngjae huffs. “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

Jongup scans the area for a place to hide before anyone sees them. He hears Zico’s knife-feet hit the concrete, getting louder with each step, and he pushes Youngjae through an open doorway. He shuts the door and turns to Youngjae.

“I know you fuckboys are still in here!” Zico shouts, his voice uncomfortably close to their door.

Youngjae’s eyes widen, his entire body trembling in silence. 

Jongup looks around the room, but his search doesn’t take him far before Zico bursts into the room. He glares at Youngjae, sharp daggers burning furiously, then turns to Jongup, and walks up to him. He rips the mask off Jongup’s face and throws it to the side. Jongup is frozen in place, paralyzed by the anger behind Zico’s eyes.

“You two have given me an _incredible_ amount of trouble,” Zico whispers. He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, the flames in his irises contained. “This would have all been avoided if you just told me what was in the case.”

Behind Zico, Jongup sees Youngjae bring the briefcase to his chest. He gulps, his throat closing up and threatening to choke him out. 

For a brief moment, he wishes Daehyun were here to tell him what to say to Zico.

“You called?”

Jongup glances to the side and sees Daehyun standing right behind Zico, his hands on his hips as the ghostly pixels of his body materialize out of thin air.

Zico scowls when Jongup doesn’t say anything and turns his attention to Youngjae. “Well, what do _you_ have to say? You up to opening the case yet?”

Daehyun looks between the three of them and tilts his head at Jongup. “What’s going on?”

_We can’t let Zico open that briefcase_ , Jongup thinks and he prays that Daehyun hears.

Daehyun’s eyebrows shoot up and he looks over at Zico again. “What’s in the case?”

Jongup is both relieved and surprised that Daehyun can hear his thoughts. 

“Of course I can hear your thoughts. I’m inside your goddamn head. Now tell me what’s in the briefcase before he chops your friend’s head off,” Daehyun replies, crossing his arms above his chest.

_Twenty million crystals. We can’t give it to him, but he’s…insistent_. Jongup’s eyes widen when Zico pulls a knife out to press against Youngjae’s neck, not deep enough to cut through the skin, but enough to leave a mark.

Daehyun brings his bottom lip in between his teeth and his eyebrows furrow in thought. Zico whispers something to Youngjae, but Jongup can’t hear it above the rush in his ears.

“Stop!” Jongup exclaims, taking a step towards them.

Zico pulls the knife away. He turns to Jongup, silent the entire time. Jongup is paralyzed again, his breaths coming out in stutters.

Daehyun snaps his fingers. “Race him.”

Jongup’s gaze flickers to Daehyun before returning to Zico, already uncertain. 

“Just do it! While you still have his attention!”

“What if…we raced for it?” Jongup asks, his voice coming out a lot shakier than he’d like.

Zico raises an eyebrow, his irritation pushed aside in favor of curiosity. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

Jongup is sure he doesn’t want to race Zico if it’s anything like a Battle Race. His chances of dying raise to about eighty percent if he goes through with it.

Daehyun snorts. “It’s your only option. He can’t turn down an opponent he can easily beat.”

Jongup’s stomach sinks even further. He wants to turn to Daehyun and just yell because _Are you setting us up to fucking die?!_

“Dude, just chill the fuck out, I got this, keep talking to him.”

“Well?” Zico asks, growing impatient.

Jongup nods because he can’t trust his voice anymore. “I’m…sure.”

Zico grins, wolfish in a way that looks like he’s about to eat Jongup alive. “If I win, you open the case and give it to me. If you win, which––“ He snorts as he takes a step towards Jongup. “––is doubtful, you keep the case and I let you two walk free. Deal?” 

Zico holds his hand out, and Jongup flinches in a gut reaction to protect himself. Zico frowns. Jongup quickly realizes he’d held his hand out to shake and grabs Zico’s hand, steeling himself as he squeezes.

“Deal.”

Zico grins again and nods to the door. “Let me show you to the garage. I’ll let you pick out your own ride.”

Daehyun whistles as Zico opens the door, strolling out without another care in the world. “Wow, how nice of him. I’ll pick something good for you, don’t worry.”

Youngjae walks beside Jongup, the tension and anxiety thick and palpable. Zico walks in front of them, hands in his pockets as he whistles some four-note tune. Youngjae leans toward Jongup, his voice low and rough and angry.

“What the _hell_ were you thinking?” Youngjae whispers.

Jongup looks down at his shuffling feet on the concrete. His blood roars in his ears, his stomach churns, and he feels like he’s going to throw up. He can’t tell Youngjae that the ghost of a dead bounty hunter told him to. 

“I mean, you probably _can_ , but I doubt he’d believe you,” Daehyun quips on Jongup’s other side.

Jongup just wants Daehyun to shut up now.

“Oh, okay, now that you don’t need me, I’m just pestering you now.”

Jongup tries really hard to ignore Daehyun’s voice.

Daehyun snorts. “Fine, I’ll pick the shittiest ride Zico offers you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i forget about this? maybe

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me on my [tumblr](http://www.guernica-flow.tumblr.com) if you wanna lmao


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